The Kryptonite Boy
by Itzika
Summary: A boy named Ben comes to Smallville High. The only strange thing? He's got Kryptonite in him! The plot behind the boy leads to the revelation of secrets held by Lana, Chloe, Lois, and Pete! Set mid 4th season, but Clark knows Chloe knows about him.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay, this chapter is pretty short, but I wanted to get it up. The other chapters will be longer. This is just the prologue.

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It was hard to say how it had started.

Chloe and Lois had grown inseparable. Lana had grown distant from everyone. Pete had returned. Clark had the sense that in the midst of all this, Lana and Lois had learned his secret, despite the fact that neither had confronted him. He was unsure about asking Chloe and Pete if they had told them. He was unsure about his family's safety. He had no idea where he stood anymore.

---

"Hey, Clark," Chloe greeted her friend. Lois was, as always, right next to her. "What's up?"

Clark smiled. "Nothing much. How're things with you?"

"Same old, same old," Chloe answered.

Lana arrived just then, a young brunette boy in tow. "Hello, all," she said. "This is Ben. He just started as a freshman here, and I've been assigned to show him around."

"Hi," Chloe said with a smile. "I'm Chloe, and this is Lois and Clark."

Ben nodded. His face was clear of emotion; he said not a word.

Lois smiled a little, looking disconcerted. "Okay, can you talk?"

Ben nodded.

Lana hurried to explain. "He can talk, but he hasn't for years."

Clark swallowed hard. "Well," he said, trying not to choke on the words, "I have to get to class. See you guys." He turned and walked away, trying his hardest not to choke.

Ben's presence had made Clark feel faint… which meant the boy was carrying Kryptonite… but where? He wasn't wearing any jewelry; he didn't even have a backpack. He carried his few books under one arm.

Whatever the case, Clark had to find the Kryptonite and get rid of it.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hi! I'm back! And a big thanks to my reviewers, LanaLangKent and Star!

This chapter is kind of short, but I wanted to take a look at what everyone else is up to. Please read and review!

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A slim hand slid a quarter into the slot and lifted the phone. Perfectly round nails clicked against the keys as the person dialed a familiar number.

The phone rang three times. As it began to ring the fourth time, the boy hung up. He slid another quarter into the slot and dialed the number again.

This time, someone answered on the first ring. "Lionel Luther speaking."

"It's Ben," the boy said in a flat voice.

"Ben!" The man's voice went from businesslike to joyful and fatherly in less than the time it takes to blink. "How's your day been? Enjoying school?"

"Lana Lang was assigned to show me around," Ben said. "She has strange friends."

"Lana Lang…" Luther sounded nostalgic. "Do you like her?"

Ben didn't answer for a moment. Finally he said, "She is always happy. She did not seem very surprised to hear about me."

"How'd she take the mute business?" Luther asked, with the air of one sharing a private joke.

"She appeared to accept it." Ben still did not change his tone.

"Have you met Clark?" There was a sound as though Lionel was shifting positions. It was clear that this was what he had been so eager to discuss.

"Clark Kent does not like me," Ben said, a note of certainty entering his voice.

"How do you know that?"

"He looked at me, and his jaw was clenched. He made his excuses to get away as quickly as he could," Ben answered like someone delivering a prepared speech.

"Really…? That's interesting." Luther paused. "Is there anything else you have to tell me?"

"Pete is back. I've confirmed that."

"Anything _else_?" Luther asked, slightly impatient.

Ben looked down, searching his memory. "Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane both wear a good deal of jewelry," he said at last. "But neither of them wears any gold."

"As expected." There was a smug note in Lionel's voice at that. "Very good, Ben. Keep an eye out for anything else, hmm?"

"Yes, sir," Ben said, and hung up the phone.

---

Lana yawned. English was always so _boring_ with this new teacher. Why, why, _why_ did it have to be a required course?

Lana looked over at the clock and groaned inwardly. Ten more _minutes_ of this boring nightmare! Why couldn't it be nine? Or eight? Or five? Or _one?_

But no, the clock stayed resolutely fixed at ten till.

"Miss Lang!" the teacher shouter. Lana jumped and faced front.

"Y—Yes?" she asked. _Don't ask, please don't ask…_

"Perhaps you would like to answer that last question," Ms. Greene suggested in a tone that left no doubt that it was by no means or definition a request.

_Crap._ "Um… no, not really?" Lana hedged, and half the class burst out into laughter. Lana couldn't help but notice that Ben stayed facing forward, staring unblinkingly at the teacher.

"That wasn't a request," Ms. Greene said, confirming Lana's sneaking suspicion.

"Um, okay…" Lana said. "Umm… What was the question again?"

Ms. Greene narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to repeat the question a split second before the bell rang.

"Oh, thank God!" Lana whispered. "Umm, I mean… I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. Greene! Let's go, Ben."

The brown-haired boy stood up and followed Lana out of the room.

---

At the end of the day, Pete joined the flood of students walking out to their cars. His was very easy to spot; aside from being a royal blue convertible in a parking lot full of pickup trucks, his car was already occupied.

"Hey, big brother!" A girl with a petite frame and light brown skin jumped out of the car and ran to hug Pete. "How was school?"

"Hey, Sammy," Pete said, hugging the girl back. "School was fine. How was your day?"

"Good," Sammy said. "I'm reading now! Third grade level!"

"Third grade already?" Pete asked, smiling and opening the door for Sammy to get in. "That's impressive."

"Mom said that too!" Sammy squealed delightedly. "She said it was _fantastic,_ and that I'm the fastest learner she's ever taught!"

"Well, she would know, wouldn't she?" Pete asked. He turned on the car and began backing out of the parking lot as he asked, "What else did you do?"

"Oh, nothing much," Sammy said, grinning hugely as they got onto the open road. She started giggling and toying with her hair, apparently delighted with the way it was being flung about. "I watched some TV and ate pizza. Pizza's really _good,_ did you know that? I like the sausage, but the veggies are kinda icky… Hey, can we turn on the radio?"

"Be my guest." Pete's smile was getting strained.

"Oh, goody. Let's see, what do I wanna listen to…?" Sammy began fussing about with the radio controls. "Hey, this is good!" she said when she found a bluegrass station.

Pete laughed. "Bluegrass today, huh?"

Sammy was swaying her head back and forth to the music and didn't seem to hear him.

---

'Hey, Chloe,' Lois said.

Chloe smiled. 'Hey, Lois.'

'What're you doing? Anything that could possibly be interrupted?'

Chloe shook her head slowly. 'No, Lois, see, I'm doing homework.'

Lois propped her head on Chloe's shoulder. "The kind of homework you can't do at the Talon?"

Chloe looked back at Lois and smiled. "Oh," she said. "You just want to go to the Talon? Yeah, I could do that."

Lois smiled back and stood, pulling Chloe to her feet. "Then let's go."

Chloe followed her cousin towards the parking lot. 'You driving?'

Lois just laughed.

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A/N: Sorry about the length. What do you think? Please, please review!


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